Severe Vomiting After Strenuous Exercise

[mommysboy]

Last month I played football for the first time for many years (I am 49). We play in severely hot conditions. Afterwards I also had a couple of beers. Later I vomited quite badly.

The same thing happened yesterday. The symptoms- first nothing although after the football I felt shattered and generally in pain and was aware of sweating a lot throughout. But after the beer about 1 hour later I gradually felt nauseous, headachy, and my body started getting hotter and hotter. Then extremely violent vomiting and protracted, just liquid. Then again another hour later, this time bile, finally another episode about an hour after that, this time just extreme dry heaving. It was quite nasty I can tell you. My wife says my skin felt clammy, and at one point after a cool shower I was shivering quite a bit. By the end of the night just felt sick to the pit of my stomach, finally could hold water down, went to sleep, and woke up feeling much better. Just a little tired today, and did feel a bit nauseous at first exposure to the heat.

Back up info.-

It was hot, I mean hot, and we're basically out in the open for 5 hours from 1pm onwards, I'd guess in 38 degrees plus.

I drunk 3 ORS as well as lots of water, and fanta.

I train ok in the evenings, no probs and regularly do an hour on the treadmill.

I once had an attack similar to this in England on a summers day when I was 25 or so.

I had not drunk beer for 1 month, and yes never intend to after football again.

(Not on Sunday) but generally I drink 15-20 cups of tea a day (use a tea bag 4 or 5 times).

Gave up smoking 2 years ago.

Trying to give up drinking (in fact this was something of a relapse).

Blood pressure normal, etc.

Is it just heat stress or the beer, or a combo? could it be a sign of some borderline condition that comes to the fore under duress?

What foods can I eat between breaks in playing? How much water should I be drinking?

All help gratefully received, as I want to persevere, but can't in all honesty face that again!

[crazydrummerpauly]

FIVE hours strenuous exercise after 1 pm in 38 degrees in a tropical country....

and you need to post a lengthy inquiry about why you got dehydration sickness ?

Seriously, are you really in the dark about this ? ( forget all the beer-related worries

unless you have been given a definite diagnosis of intolerance or liver-damage )...

Oh, and you are 1 year short of half a century on the planet.... come on, take it easy ?

And get OUT of the midday/pm sun, unless you want to celebrate Noel Coward's brilliant ditty.

Please, downplay the precautions of tea-addiction and h2o-consumption - AND the treadmill-torture -

just be MUCH more scared of that frightening flaming globe in the sky. (But I will admit:

I'm one of those wimps who sometimes uses a large UMBRELLA even to walk in the midday

sun ! ) Wish I could still play footie by the way....I'd be throwing up by half-time even

in an English winter !

Basically, the vomiting is most likely to be your body's reaction to its being treated to a toxin just

at the period when it's already struggling to cope with SEVERE dehydration and possibly sun-stroke.

I'm assuming that you can easily quaff a pint or two at the end of a lazy, cool day without a violent

reaction ? If you have access to a specialist, an 'Intolerance Test' for beer could put your mind at

rest on that front - but given the mix of variables you present on the posting, any gambling man would

put their shirt on severe dehydration and some degree of sun-stroke, rather than a problem with the

amber nectar.

[Ijustwannateach]

Yup- sounds like basic heatstroke, aggravated by drinking the diuretic (alcohol). You need rehydration, and possibly medical attention.

[Wrong Turn]

When I used to lift weights very heavy and too long when I was 18-20 I would throw up.

This was because I was tapping into my CNS - Central Nervous System.

Don't do it. It's not healthy.

Pull back, and scale it down. Also, heat stroke is a possibility.

[mommysboy]

No I don't think I've ever been good at handling booze on an empty stomach at all. Certainly I handle alcohol the least well of my friends, but I know some big drinkers. Ironically though I feel I may be a little addicted to beer, although I wouldd say I really just enjoy a couple of pints.

I think though the basic problem is the heat stress. But I really like playing and wonder if there is any strategy to overcome the problem.

IJWT, I feel fine now.

Thinking about it the food I eat before is being digested, but at some point my stomach just stops digesting, and I stop absorping water.

[Bizz]

No doubt exercise is good for health, one has to be cautious though so as not to over do it due to the fact that over exercise could just be as harmful as not exercising at all. Know your body limits and don't push nor exert yourself beyond what your body is able to take. If you experience dizziness, abnormal fast heart beat or difficulty in catching your breath or vomiting after strenuous exercise stop the workout immediately.

There has been quite a number of cases whereby healthy people otherwise supposedly in excellent health suddenly collapsed and died while exercising on treadmills or other high intensity workouts. Certainly not all deaths were attributed directly due to exercise, however it is evident that strenuous exercise in one form or another is able to trigger dangerous and harmful body reactions. excessive head dehydration

[jackoneilone]

lol

[mommysboy]

No doubt exercise is good for health, one has to be cautious though so as not to over do it due to the fact that over exercise could just be as harmful as not exercising at all. Know your body limits and don't push nor exert yourself beyond what your body is able to take. If you experience dizziness, abnormal fast heart beat or difficulty in catching your breath or vomiting after strenuous exercise stop the workout immediately.

There has been quite a number of cases whereby healthy people otherwise supposedly in excellent health suddenly collapsed and died while exercising on treadmills or other high intensity workouts. Certainly not all deaths were attributed directly due to exercise, however it is evident that strenuous exercise in one form or another is able to trigger dangerous and harmful body reactions. excessive head dehydration

Thanks Tweety! I'll bear it in mind next time some 16st, Wayne Rooney impressionist is about to kick me up in the air.

But seriously, anybody know if there is anyway I can stop myself puking, as I prefer not to give up if at all possible.

[T_Dog]

Mommysboy, When is the last time that you had a full physical? Might be a good idea to get one if it has been a while. You can use that opportunity to ask the doc what he/she thinks and maybe find some things to do.

I bicycle fairly hard in hot weather and I find I need to drink electrolyte fluids before I go out to avoid a bad headache after riding. And that is with lots of hydration during the ride. Like you, I had some odd things occurring three years ago and a physical exam exposed a problem that the doc and were able to sort out. Severe vomiting is not something you want to keep repeating!

[phetaroi]

On the one hand, I think you ought to go to a doctor and be checked out...maybe have a complete physical.

On the other hand, I'm not so sure there's a big mystery here. I know from personal experience that we hate to hear it, but once we get up around 50 (give or take), our body's ability to withstand significant physical stress changes drastically. I used to be a hiker, and as I aged the long hikes got far more difficult to the point where last year (at age 60) I did what I consider to be my last long day of hiking...and it wasn't even that long...about 7 miles in Zion National Park. Now I keep it to 5 or less.

When I was about 40 we were up in northern Thailand and I had been suffering from a rather severe case of traveler's diarrhea for about a week. I finally went to a doctor and got Cipro and two other meds (one was an electrolyte), and the doc said I was free to go out and resume fairly normal activity. So we went to a hilltop temple south of Chiang Mai. 550 steps, over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and halfway up we sat down to rest. After about 10 minutes, I couldn't continue up...or down...or even stand (literally). My friend had to go and retrieve water, which finally got me shakily back down again, and then two sugary cokes later I was on my way. But it scared the heck out of me to collapse like that, and I've never made that mistake since.

Please take care!

[stiggy]

Build up your exercise

Keep hydrated

Leave the beer alone

Its not rocket science..

[Shotime]

Try six hours next time.

I want to vomit just reading it.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Shotime

[mommysboy]

Try six hours next time.

I want to vomit just reading it.

Thanks for the sympathy vote and good advice.

Yes age has caught up and come to think of it I used to get sick with heat even in England when I was 25. The beer is madness. I think I'll just play half the time next time and will increase my endurance exercise in between.

I had a check up a few months ago, can't see the point if there is nothing wrong really.

[mommysboy]

On the one hand, I think you ought to go to a doctor and be checked out...maybe have a complete physical.

On the other hand, I'm not so sure there's a big mystery here. I know from personal experience that we hate to hear it, but once we get up around 50 (give or take), our body's ability to withstand significant physical stress changes drastically. I used to be a hiker, and as I aged the long hikes got far more difficult to the point where last year (at age 60) I did what I consider to be my last long day of hiking...and it wasn't even that long...about 7 miles in Zion National Park. Now I keep it to 5 or less.

When I was about 40 we were up in northern Thailand and I had been suffering from a rather severe case of traveler's diarrhea for about a week. I finally went to a doctor and got Cipro and two other meds (one was an electrolyte), and the doc said I was free to go out and resume fairly normal activity. So we went to a hilltop temple south of Chiang Mai. 550 steps, over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and halfway up we sat down to rest. After about 10 minutes, I couldn't continue up...or down...or even stand (literally). My friend had to go and retrieve water, which finally got me shakily back down again, and then two sugary cokes later I was on my way. But it scared the heck out of me to collapse like that, and I've never made that mistake since.

Please take care!

Wise words in truth.

[FBN]

Good news is that there was no bleeding this time but it can (and probably will) happen again.

This episode was most probably heat exhaustion; including the symptoms after (fever, rigors etc)

Vomiting is not unusual as well but, if due to any underlying gastric problem, will definitely aggravate the situation.

The contiued vomiting probably due to underlying chronic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori as a cause should be excluded now or treated.

Afraid a gastroscopy is now the way forward.

[alfieconn]

Try six hours next time.

I want to vomit just reading it.

Thanks for the sympathy vote and good advice.

Yes age has caught up and come to think of it I used to get sick with heat even in England when I was 25. The beer is madness. I think I'll just play half the time next time and will increase my endurance exercise in between.

I had a check up a few months ago, can't see the point if there is nothing wrong really.

Was you drinking some sort of Electrolyte drink (not water, as this doesn't replace the minerals lost etc ) during the game ? i had similar problems (not too your extremes) after running for an hour on a treadmill and found a couple of mouthfulls of electrolyte drink every 10 mins helped.

What city are you living as i'm looking for a game ?

Edited May 11, 2010 by alfieconn

[VocalNeal]

I felt shattered and generally in pain and was aware of sweating a lot throughout. But after the beer about 1 hour later I gradually felt nauseous, headachy, and my body started getting hotter and hotter.

You need to come and run with the Hash House Harriers. Get acclimatized to running in hot weather and then practice consuming beer afterwards. In a few weeks you'll be an expert.

[Sheryl]

Well the obvious answer is:

play later in the day and for less time...like, 4-6 PM ionstead of 1 -5 when it is hottest and the sun brightest.

Or find a sport you can do indoors.

and do not, ever, drink beer afterwards. Take ORS, or cocounut water, or a sports drink, or even plain water (altho the first 3 are better), but nothing with alcohol or caffeine

And make sure you are well hydrated before your start. Tea in dehydrating, so you may have been a bit dry even before working out in the hot sun. Have a coconut or other elctrolyte + water drink before you start.

[mommysboy]

Good news is that there was no bleeding this time but it can (and probably will) happen again.

This episode was most probably heat exhaustion; including the symptoms after (fever, rigors etc)

Vomiting is not unusual as well but, if due to any underlying gastric problem, will definitely aggravate the situation.

The contiued vomiting probably due to underlying chronic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori as a cause should be excluded now or treated.

Afraid a gastroscopy is now the way forward.

OH no!! Don't say that! Well ok, but I haven't had any heartburn, indigestion, or anything lke that FBN, and it doesn't feel like a gastric problem? It just feels like I get incredibly hot, and then very nauseous, it doesn't feel like a stomach problem at all. And it only happens under very strenuous conditions and direct strong sunshine.

I put in a hard training session today- 2 hours plus. When I was in the sun I started to feel a bit sick again. But I coped much better and drinking coke, and eating crisps seems to help, not wholly sure why but there we go! I also had access to a coolish shower whch helped greatly.

[moe666]

Keep this up and you will be posting for advice about treatment for a heart attack. HEHE

Four hours of footy at 50 whats the point.

[mommysboy]

Well the obvious answer is:

play later in the day and for less time...like, 4-6 PM ionstead of 1 -5 when it is hottest and the sun brightest.

Or find a sport you can do indoors.

and do not, ever, drink beer afterwards. Take ORS, or cocounut water, or a sports drink, or even plain water (altho the first 3 are better), but nothing with alcohol or caffeine

And make sure you are well hydrated before your start. Tea in dehydrating, so you may have been a bit dry even before working out in the hot sun. Have a coconut or other elctrolyte + water drink before you start.

Yes thanks to you and FBN for your excellent advice. I'm looking towards evening games or short exposure as advised.

[khundon]

Could it be due to Pancreas problems?

[moe666]

It's a whole body issue dehydration affects every organ. When I get a headache I drink a lot of water and bingo no more headache.

[mommysboy]

It's a whole body issue dehydration affects every organ. When I get a headache I drink a lot of water and bingo no more headache.

Khundon and moe. I think it's more a whole body thing, what happens when it is subject to extreme duress. I certainly don't think my liver or stomach is the strongest part of my body that's for sure, and it's these that give.

I think FBN is right in a way, perhaps only a check up will tell, but I'm recoiling at the thought of a tube put inside me, generally I don't get on with them for sure!

Thanks for your continued interest.

[mommysboy]

I did 2 indoor sessions (temp about 36 degrees) for about 3 hours, with breaks and plenty of water, and no symptoms at all- felt very good actually.

But today I worked out a bit at my local gym/ swimming pool. It's in the open and very hot, probably 40 degres with sun effect, and indeed I got a little burnt, and later I started to feel headachy and queasy. But I'm not particularly burn or sore. But the symptoms when I play on Sunday are unmistakably the same only in a more severe way.

So I'm left a bit puzzled as to whether it's the extreme heat or exposure to sun, and I guess I've had it as far as the mid-day footie is concerned. Maybe a complete barrier cream would help.

[singa-traz]

I did 2 indoor sessions (temp about 36 degrees) for about 3 hours, with breaks and plenty of water, and no symptoms at all- felt very good actually.

But today I worked out a bit at my local gym/ swimming pool. It's in the open and very hot, probably 40 degres with sun effect, and indeed I got a little burnt, and later I started to feel headachy and queasy. But I'm not particularly burn or sore. But the symptoms when I play on Sunday are unmistakably the same only in a more severe way.

So I'm left a bit puzzled as to whether it's the extreme heat or exposure to sun, and I guess I've had it as far as the mid-day footie is concerned. Maybe a complete barrier cream would help.

During your Sunday's games:

0: Warm up before the first game, slowly but surely.

1: Drink water regularly (before and after the games)

2: Stay in the shade as much as possible (yes, hard to find)

3: Keep you head cool (towel in cold water)

4: Wear a hat/cap

5: and finally, Stop the Chang ... that's the problem

You can make it ... there are people older than you playing as well

[FBN]

Sunscreen will not really help; only for the sunburn but not for the symptoms. These are caused by the heat exposure.

It is possible that someone, after an episode of heat exhaustion may be more susceptable if exposed again within a short period but this is more common in children, not adults. The kids temp control center in the brain sometimes goes a bit haywire after an episode of very high temperature and is not able to perform the normal regulatory functions it is supposed to do for some time but I am not aware of this ever happening in an adult.

Avoiding exposure to similar circumstances for an extended period may be the way to manage this.

[mommysboy]

5. and finally, stop the Chang.

Oh heck. yes indeed.

By and large I don't drink now.

Yesterday I just relaxed by the pool with a friend and didn't even do any exercise. And I had 4 small cans of beer during the course of the afternoon, but was aware of feeling dehydrated so I had some water too.

Then a couple of hours later same sickness to the exact description as when I play football.

I really can't tolerate much alcohol I think and the heat magnifies the problem as I felt quite shattered yesterday anyway.

I'm beginning to think I need to go over to the drinking forum.

[Sheryl]

Beer is extremely dehydrating, and this is the hottest time of year

4 cans of beer in an afternoon is hardly "by and large not drinking"

And that it was taken despite the problems you've been having may indeed suggest that forum as a useful venue for you. Check it out, they are a nice and largely supportive bunch there.

[mommysboy]

Beer is extremely dehydrating, and this is the hottest time of year

4 cans of beer in an afternoon is hardly "by and large not drinking"

And that it was taken despite the problems you've been having may indeed suggest that forum as a useful venue for you. Check it out, they are a nice and largely supportive bunch there.

Yes ok, thanks. This is beginning to frighten me and I admit I can't stop it at present.